Distortions
by Domovoi Butler
Summary: Opal Koboi is loose, and it’s up to Artemis and Holly to stop her. However with the past unravelling behind them and the present assailed by Koboi is there a chance for the future? The Time Paradox Spoilers
1. Prolouge

Note: The Time Paradox Spoilers

Note: The Time Paradox Spoilers

Disclaimer: I do not own Artemis Fowl or any of the characters (especially not Minerva, thankfully) Eoin Colfer does. That leaves me the plot.

Dedication: For Suzuriin, thanks for directing me to this wonderful website, putting up with my AF based rants and constant questions regarding the location of the review button.

Prologue

Chix Verbil nervously glanced at a large cube, apparently hovering, in the centre of a white circular room for what must have been the eightieth time that minute. The hovering box was actually a high tech prison cell, designed by the centaur; Foaly.

It suspended itself using magnets placed in strategic positions in the circular room and, of course, on the cell itself. The cell has made of a toughened one-way glass, that allowed a fairy looking at the cube from outside to see the fugitive inside. Privacy was not a concern with this inmate, the pixie Opal Koboi, currently public enemies One and Two.

The one-way glass and the sleeping pixie it contained were half the reason Chix kept checking the box. The other half, not that he would ever admit it, was that he was scared.

Opal Koboi had attempted to take over the fairy city of Haven, and failing that killed Commander Julius Root. It was hard to think that this cell could hold her. She had then tried to start a war between the Mud-men and Fairy people only to be thwarted, at the last minute, by Artemis Fowl the Second and Captain Holly Short.

Chix was proud to have been on pod-duty with that elf, years ago that it was, and knew that deep down she was madly in love with him. She just needed a little prodding to realise it, although so far Chix's prodding had only amounted to a nearly broken nose. Magic was great and all but it still hurt.

Opal Koboi was lying on a sparse prison bed thinking pleasant thoughts. Most of them related to killing Artemis Fowl. How she _loathed_ the human, always with that trigger-happy elf in tow. There was only one person whom she hated more: Foaly. The centaur had designed her blasted prison, unfurled her perfect plans and halted her bid to become Queen of the world; and he would pay. Opal wondered if the Eleven Wonders was still open…

Opal Koboi stared down at the LEP guards, one sprite in particular seemed to be glancing at a cube suspended in the centre of the room more then was necessary, when Opal looked at it she saw why. She saw her own beautiful self inside and understood why the sprite was looking. She was taller then she had been. Opal realised that she'd gone ahead with the Pituitary Gland operation.

Koboi gripped the human tear-gas launcher, her pixie hands tiny compared to the size of the weapon. Not that this gun shot tear gas. It was one of her own concoctions. Knockout gas with a bit of evaporated animal fat stirred in. The shells even had a thermal coil to stop the gas from liquidising. No fairy who inhaled a breath of this would have magic coming to their aid, she wished the humans had a gas that could do more then just cause unconsciousness, but such a weapon was outlawed and to acquire it was beyond the abilities of the mud-man she'd mesmerized. Opal raised the weapon to her shoulder and fired, honestly such work should be beneath her; was she not the empress of the world? Nonetheless, one generally had to break oneself out of prison before taking over the Earth. The shell spiralled as it came to rest on the prison floor, at the sprites feet…

Chix felt strangely dizzy, he could swear Lili Frond was swaying more so then usual as she walked… then, with a resounding thud, he hit the floor. The other LEP officers soon followed.

Opal Koboi swung herself down from an air vent, however the distance was further then she'd estimated and she landed awkwardly breaking one of her heels. Artemis Fowl would pay for that too. Koboi uttered a stream of gnomish curses around her gas mask as she hobbled towards her cell.

She kicked a few inert LEP officers on the way and found that helped a little.

Note: So, what did you think? Reviews appreciated. ;)


	2. Chapter 1 Krankens and Chess

Disclaimer: I do not own Artemis Fowl or any of the characters (especially not Minerva, thankfully) Eoin Colfer does

Disclaimer: I do not own Artemis Fowl or any of the characters (especially not Minerva, thankfully) Eoin Colfer does. That leaves me the plot. Thank Frond for cut and paste.

Chapter 1 – Krakens and Chess Pieces

To say Holly Short was happy with her job would be understatement of the millennium. After her reinstatement to a Captain of the LEP following the disbandment of Section Eight, since there was no longer a need to monitor demons except for one hamster, she'd already managed to stop one genius from taking over the planet and was keeping a close eye, though not his own, on another.

Holly enlarged the figure in her viewfinder. To anyone who lived above ground it would appear to be a small island. Holly knew it was a kraken, the seventh to be exact. Discovery credited to Artemis Fowl; that had really irritated Foaly. Of course he said that he'd suspected it all along. As if the centaur could hear her thoughts, Holly's communicator buzzed.

"Holly, bad news." warned Foaly, he sounded strange, Holly had never heard that tone before, then she realised. Foaly was scared.

"What is it?" She asked nervously, by Frond, fear was infective.

"Opal's escaped."

"Which one?" Holly felt numb. One thought was running through her mind, she _had to warn Artemis_. Oh and, _not again_.

"Uh... both of her." Holly's wings were quivering as she pumped more voltage into them, at this speed she could be at Fowl Manor within the hour.

"How?"

"We don't know. Some sort of gas."

"Magic?"

"None, some sort of negater mixed into the gas probably fat or radiation. Since no-ones sick, my bets on fat."

Holly nodded; it made sense, though she felt sick at the thought. Being submerged in fat had sickened her, inhaling the stuff would probably kill her.

"Anyway she could get out of Haven?" Holly questioned

"Not that we know off. As we speak Haven's going into lockdown. No-one gets in or out. That includes you Holly. Radio silence until Opal's caught. I'll call you."

He didn't have to add _be careful_.

The line cut off.

Artemis glared at the chess board like he hated it. At the moment he did. He shook his head, black hair swaying slightly. No… he groaned quietly, this was impossible! He, Artemis Fowl: highest tested I.Q in Europe, criminal mastermind; ex-criminal mastermind he reminded himself, defeater of the IBM chess computer Deep Blue, he had hacked it before hand but that was beside the point. He would not lose a game of chess.

Minerva grinned at him across the board, her webcam clearly showing what looked like a bewildered Irish genius. She would normally see Butler in the background too, behind Artemis and to his left however, he'd taken the twins to the playground. Not exactly a worthy duty for the deadliest man alive. The Fowl adults were out too, there'd been a breakthrough in prosthetic limb technology, using artificial skin, force sensors and highly advanced computers that monitored whether one leg was being favoured over the other. Needless to say Angeline Fowl had taken her husband to be fitted for a new leg immediately.

Minerva was just beginning to savour her victory when Artemis manoeuvred his knight, placing her in checkmate. Her expression changed instantly.

"How did you…?" She breathed.

Artemis smiled his most vampiric smile.

"Would you like another game?" The computer asked.

Artemis mouse hovered over the _yes_ button, when his hand buzzed. Only one person, fairy actually, had that number. Artemis casually flicked off the webcam and twisted an inconspicuous looking ring on his finger.

"Holly." It wasn't a question. Artemis smiled a far warmer smile then he'd smiled for Minerva seconds before.

"Artemis. It's Opal." Artemis allowed himself a very short moment of panic, that pixie was just _bad_ for him. He might have to see a LEP councillor if he was forced to save the world again.

"She's escaped, both of her." Holly finished.

Holly repeated what Foaly had told her.

"I see" said Artemis neutrally

"Artemis, I'm on my way. Be careful."

Artemis decided it would best serve his interests if he moved to the security centre. He could best keep an eye on the house, and any unwanted visitors, from there. Artemis turned for the door. Only to see a beautiful face absolutely loaded with hatred.

"Don't move mud-boy." Said Opal Koboi, her voice laden with the _mesmer_, as she casually flicked the safety off a fairy softnose laser.

Authors note: Take only words, leave only reviews…please? Is anyone interested in doing a bit of Beta reading for this story? PM me if you are, thanks!


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